The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Friday, September 25, 2009 - 5A Not so scary Monsters By MIKE KUNTZ Daily Arts Writer History has shown that super- groups almost always look good on paper. Too often that's where they look best - the wildly inconsis- MonSters tent results range from breathtak- of Folk ing (Crosby, Stills, Monsters Nash & Young) to of Folk head-scratchingly awful (too many Shangi-La to name). Today's version, the markedly less preten- tious Monsters of Folk - whose tongues were placed firmly in cheek when making that moniker - lie somewhere in between: Fantastic in theory yet still leaving something to be desired on tape. Monsters of Folk unites four pil- lars of modern popular folk on this self-titled debut album, namely singer-songwriters Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes) and M. Ward (also of She & Him fame), My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James (or Yim Yames, as he has been credited of late) and Saddle Creek Records' pro- ducer/multi-instrumentalist Mike Mogis (also of Bright Eyes). Their idea to cut an album originated in 2004 when Ward, Oberst and James toured together, collaborating on I their respective catalogues in a night billed as "An Evening with Bright Eyes, Jim James and M. Ward." Even with such prolific and indi- vidualized songwriters as Oberst, James and Ward, the album is remarkably cohesive. Like the folk supergroups of yore, each artist has a handful of songs that are clearly his or her own, and employs the other members to help orchestrate the tracks. This collaborative ele- ment allows for a thicker dose of vocal and instrumental layeringand some ac the fou togethe ning fas Jame (Sincere prayer thought undern tos andl and stri "Bab fun, ex sters co Oberst1 two-ste harmon they so It's a ni erwise L Ober Dylan p particu dded stylistic variety. Still, songs themselves may not be that r find plenty of ways to blend great, he does his best (with help r, and often do so in stun- from Mogis's deft keyboards and hion. mechanical guitars) to dress them es-led opener "Dear God up all pretty. ely M.O.F)" is a soulful "The Sandman, the Brakeman and with each singer taking a Me" is another fine moment, and is tful stab at divine dilemmas perhaps M. Ward'sbest writing since eath James's soaring falset- 2006'sPost-War. Here heemployshis Mogis's R&B-flavored drum dusty Americana style to full effect ng samples. for an acoustic ballad that sounds like y Boomer" is a little more a lullaby sung from a Depression-era emplifying the ideal Mon- boxcar.With lonesome atmospherics llaboration with Ward and courtesyofMogis,thesongpacksone trading vocal lines over a of the few consistently compelling p shuffle and James's high melodies on the album. It posesses a ies. With all guns blazing, backcountry familiarity that only M. und, well, pretty darn good. Ward can conjure. ce break on an album of oth- "His Master's Voice" rounds lackluster songwriting. out the album. It's another biblical st enlists his typical faux- hymn led by James, with harmonies rose throughout the album, played by Ward and Oberst aiding larly in "Man Named Truth" the chorus. The song slowly builds and recedes with dramatic effect before ending on a goofy iteration of the final lyric that recalls garbled eat on paper, Cuisinart-like vocal effects. While Monsters of Folk wrestles )K on tape. with themes often more serious than their delivery, it serves as more of a lyrical frame touting the American folk tradition - Baptist hymns, left- mazcal,"using the same lyri- ist rags, plantation blues and breezy hulas and shaky delivery that storytelling - than an attempt at 'pically come to character- achieving conceptual grandeur. Omaha troubadour. It's here Besides, the record's more playful tying it safe brings out the moments (see the skattingon "Losin Monsters: There is a notable Yo Head") outweigh any pretension of inspiration from all three that might arise from any one track. iters, Oberst included. They are the "Monsters of Folk" James somewhat makes up after all. mediocre songwriting by Jokes aside, the four self-appoint- ing to push the limits of his ed folk titans still made a decent ngly playful persona (whom record. And thoughMonsters ofFolk 1 only assume to be 'Vim isn't the folk godsend some might that likely first emerged in have expected it to be, it certainly n MMJ's Evil Urges. James doesn't try to be. The Monsters ses- estionably the most daring sions are nothing short (or tall) of n the record, acting as both four very talented friends hashing mboyant backup man and out a collection of songs for fun - sive balladeer. Though the and it shows. Gr ( TV REVIEW COURTESY OF HBO "Did I forget to submit my personals ad?" A lovely 'Deat h' HBO proves it novels, he posts an ad on craigslist, sounds familiar, that's because selling himself as an unlicensed "Bored to Death" is somewhat still owns TV with private investigator and waitsfor a autobiographical. The creator is call. Before he knows it, he's in the real-life Jonathan Ames (a New another stellar series middle of a case, living his dead- York Press columnist and author beat life by day and moonlighting of several novels including "The By CAROLYN KLARECKI asa detective by night. Alcoholic"), who once decided Daily TV/New Media Editor Schwartzman has always been to rent an office and put an ad on a master of subtle comedy and the craigslist offering his services as Who doesn't love film noir? style of "Bored to Death" uses his a detective. After he realized the There's something inherently talents perfectly. His first case legal repercussions of his pipe- classy about a is simple enough - a girl visitng dream actions, he decided to live private inves- New York can't locate the sister through his writing and created tigator sipping she came to meet - but he makes it "Bored to Death," naming the a drink and B to complicated and melodramatic to main character after himself. smoking a cigar serve his detective desires. Ames The back story also empha- in a dark club Det1 proclaims, as though he thinks his sizes the show's tendency to pull only to be later Sundays at idea is an astonishing revelation, influences from different genres: approached by a 9:30 p.m. that they ought to find the miss- "Bored to Death" plays with clas- beautiful (prob- ing girl's boyfriend in order to find sic film noir and modern humor, ably foreign) HBO her. Elementary, isn't it? tragedy and comedy, but stays woman in need Ames is, in all actuality, a very focused mostly on fiction and of his help. Of course, it's hard depressing man who tells everyone reality. The show integrates these nowadays to create a new movie who will listen that his girlfriend artistic pulses in away so that they or show in the classic film noir dumped him. He looks at even the never contradict one another. The style without it being labeled as simplest cases with solemnity. But results are constructive, and they "formulaic" or "standard." And because Schwartzman plays himin create a beautiful story. often times these criticisms are such a wonderfully straight-faced It's clear that "Bored to Death" accurate. Too many shows have manner, the show is not only awk- is smart, funny and intricately been expected to succeed by sim- ward but surprisingly humorous, detailed in a way that not a whole ply copying the stylistic elements Generally,TVshowsoundtracks lot of TV shows can manage these of the genre's best without add- are nothing notable. They're usu- days. Even still, the show's intel- ing their own personal touches. ally comprised of either generic lect may be its downfall. People HBO's "Bored to Death" is a rare and nondescript mood music or traditionally don't turn on the exception that balances the ideas Top-40 hits, but the soundtrack television to watch artistic indie of film noir with the touch of mod- for "Bored to Death" is a master- shows. It might be difficult for ern humor. The result is a fantas- piece: The songs switch between "Bored to Death" to gain notoriety tic show. cool, whimsical jazzy numbers when bad reality TV and cheesy Jonathan Ames (Jason and soothing indie songs by art- sitcoms are increasingly popular. Schwartzman, "The Darjeeling ists such as Kaiser Cartel and HBO, which can worry less about Limited") has been stuck on his Andrew Bird, and these songs suit viewership figures, is the perfect second novel for a while. To make the show perfectly. The attention home forthis show, and those who matters worse, he just got dumped given to this usually overlooked are up for something with a little by his girlfriend, smokes too much element makes "Bored to Death" more meat than whatever's air- pot and drinks too much white a treat for the ears as well as the ing on typical the typical network wine. In a moment of desperation eyes and mind. primetime lineup will love "Bored inspired by his affection for crime If the name Jonathan Ames to Death." and "Te cal form have ty ize the' that pla flaws in absence songwr Jim for the continu increasi we can Yames') 2008 or is unqu artist o the flat the pen Pure, pleasant growing pains By DAVID WATNICK ManagingArts Editor Like any respectable high-heart- rate band cooking slight songs for musical sweet tooths, The Pains * of Being Pure at Heart are meeting le Pains of their output quota B Pur as quickly as their touring schedule at Heart allows. Even with one of 2009's best Higher Than albums already the as under the belts of Slmerland/ their skinny jeans, Fortuna Pop The Pains have kept working at a pace to match their songs' tempos. Fans of The Pains' self-titled Feb- ruary long-player can rejoice in the arrival of the Higher Than the Stars EP, but image-conscious audience members should be warned that the new release only follows the seven- month-old trends set by the band's debut. Captaining the five-song platter that shares its name, "Higher Than the Stars" is a concurrence to the band's basic sound. Exuberant and straight-forward but bent toward the synthesized side of the dial, it's a bubbly breeze that continues The Pains' penchant for enigmatic perversion. In case you were won- dering, "you're not straight /in the back of her mother's car." Who knew? "Falling Over" also observes the newfangly electric keyboard precedent, prancing over synth eruptions while sticking pain- fully close to the verse-chorus- verse formula. Adhering to the old faithful structure, it's emblematic of the disc's primary flaw: unre- peatability. The first four tracks are effortlessly endearing on the first go (the fifth is a remix of the title tune), but continued spins can't coax anything further from the band's pleasantly simple melo- dies and arrangements. The most vital attribute any release can posses is the ability to expand and flourish in a listener's mind over time. Here, The Pains show their hand at the draw, and endurance and growth is sacrificed for fleet- ing instant gratification. The serious guitars (is it safe to assume they're Jazzmasters? probably) come out on "103" and * "Twins," and the pair is much bet- ter for it, even if their songwriting sophistication level is no greater than anything else on the EP. The two songs survive on their strik- ing sense of adolescent longing and geeky punk vigor, but they're toss- offs that don't deserve slots on a full- length release. The "Saint Etienne Visits Lord Spank Mix" of "Higher Than the Stars" is the meal's final course, and arriving on the heels of four immediate hitters, it's a dominat- ing downer - long, dreary and repetitive. But over repeated plays, something miraculous happens: While the song's comrades become increasingly insignificant with age, the "Higher Than the Stars" remix matures into an intoxicating hyp- notist that rides minimalism to the stars. A smoldering slow jam, it's not only a stellar afterglow, but it's also the most novel - and best - song of the bunch. The EP may suffer from a lack of replayability, but more disappoint- ing is how little the band pushed the boundaries of its comfort zone throughout the disc. The closer is the only number that could even be considered a remote departure for the band, and it's a remix. With a start-to-finish knockout LP already in their portfolio, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are ready to upgrade their sound, and Higher Than the Stars would have been the perfect venue for The Pains to take some chances. Instead the EP is a fun spin, but it's a missed Sweet, but not risky enough. opportunity. For the moment, it appears the pains symptomatic of being pure at heart are the same as those associated with stunted growth. Still, youth is youth; it's better to be young and idealistic than old and disillusioned. All Day Fish Fry Platter for $6.99 /*/ 6S gae e lo l 10-CL Domestic Bot tles Start At $1 310 Maynard St.-Food To Go 734.995.0100-Next to the Maynard Parkin Structu'